Author Topic: .45 Colt - Hard or Medium Alloy  (Read 1158 times)

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Offline gcf

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.45 Colt - Hard or Medium Alloy
« on: June 24, 2008, 05:01:41 PM »
Veral -
This is what I'm working with:

S&W 625-6 Mountain Gun
Caliber .45 Colt
Cylinder Throats .4525"
Lockup & cylinder / bore alignment appears good

Projected velocity range 750 (general target) - 950fps (business / limited target)
Target range 15 - 45 yards

Been loading a 45-255 SWC-PB / .453" / 11BHN, & a 45-270-SAA / .453" / 11BHN, w/ some (but not outstanding) success. Best groups to date, have been with the 255SWC, using WW231 (7.1), & V V N-330 (7.8) . I've only been shooting this gun a few months, but think it is capable of a lot better accuracy then I've been getting.

As far as I know, this gun has not been lapped, or had any forcing cone work. I have not noted any leading - even w/ loads rated at 1000fps.

I've had very good success w/ your bullets in other calibers. As such, I'm looking at LBT bullets from a nationally known custom caster. Specifically either a 250WFN-PB / .453", or a 260WFN-PB / .453". This gent uses LBT Blue exclusively, & normally offers these bullets at 22BHN. They are available at 15BHN by special order.

My understanding is that 15BHN #2 alloy, is good up to 17K psi - which I suspect should be around the upper limit of my projected velocity range using a medium rate powder.  Of course that's pretty much a WAG, & I hate to say what happened, the last time I took one of those...

Considering my projected velocity range, do you think that the #2 alloy would suffice - or would you recommend the harder WCWW bullet?

If you would like a bit more info to venture an opinion, I'll tell you what I can. I would appreciate your thoughts on the matter.

Thanks in advance!




Regards - GCF
"Sometimes you make eight - sometimes you hit dirt!"

Offline Veral

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Re: .45 Colt - Hard or Medium Alloy
« Reply #1 on: June 29, 2008, 07:21:06 PM »
  If the 453 diameter is a tight fit to your cylinder throats, use the hard bullets.  I've always had best accuracy with harder, if the bullets fit properly so gas is sealed off without depending on obturation to get the seal.

  If you cylinder throats are larger then 453, use the softer bullets.
Veral Smith